A WOMAN who claims she saw her mother murder her father more than 30 years ago has caused a bitter family feud.

Eileen Reay, 44, told police she watched through a crack in a door as her mum smothered her dad with a cushion in 1969.

An inquest has recorded an open verdict on Bill Reay, of Heywood, near Rochdale.

Eileen Reay said she revealed her terrible secret because her mother Elizabeth died at Christmas, aged 70, and was now beyond the law.

Police have investigated her detailed account of the ''murder'' but are understood to have ruled out a new inquiry.

Det Insp Martin Jeffs confirmed that statements from two members of the family had been sent recently to the coroner.

The second statement came from Eileen's brother Billy, 40, who has said he was in the room at the time.

But other family members said they are horrified at the claim and accused Eileen of lying to blacken her mother's name.

Rochdale coroner Mr Barrie Williams said today that after studying statements from four family members, he did not believe there was any new evidence which would change the 1969 verdict.

Eileen, now living in Charlestown, Salford, dropped her bombshell on the day of her mother's funeral and says she could no longer live with her unbearable secret. She said: ''Not a day goes by without me thinking about it. I have practically had a nervous breakdown because of it. It has wrecked my life.''

But Eileen's sister Valerie Thompson, 35, of Brindle Heath, Salford says she was present when her father died.

''On the weekend he died, he had been drinking heavily at a pal's leaving do, and he had been eating sleeping tablets as though they were sweets. He came downstairs looking drunk, collapsed on the floor and split his head open. I don't know why my sister has made this allegation, it is all lies.''